Голод (Hunger)
by Alien Under the Bed
Summary: Ukraine may not be the most well-known country, but when she passes out from hunger during a World Meeting, all of the nations show their caring sides and pitch in to help her. Basically just an excuse for me to practice my (lack of) language skills and turn all the countries into ridiculous sweethearts. :)


**A/N: **I know Ukraine isn't the most popular character but she's one of my favorites, and after watching the t.A.T.u. singer Lena Katina pass out and get fussed over (youtube) /watch?v=2HgZ5dwBxsY I just couldn't resist the plot bunny that hopped into my brain. Sorry for all the language fails! If any native speakers are reading this, please feel free to correct me.

* * *

Ukraine glanced at the clock in the World Conference room as Germany's voice droned on about improving recycling efforts in Europe. There were still at least four more hours left before the meeting would be over. Ukraine had already delivered her speech about reducing anthrax outbreaks in the farming regions of Eastern Europe, but was reluctant to leave early. She did not want to come off as rude; she was not a well-known country, and did not want rudeness to become her defining characteristic. But she wasn't sure she could last another four hours. Her head felt like a balloon that would have floated away were it not tethered to her body by the thin string of her neck. Her stomach ached dully; she had long ago run out of fingers to count off the days without food.

"...and if we receive sufficient funding from Spain over the next two months, we can begin construction on new recycling plants in Madrid, Segovia, and other neighboring cities in an attempt to introduce German recycling methods to the rest of Europe. That is all; thank you for your time."

The other nations clapped politely as Germany collected his speech index cards and took his seat next to Italy. Ukraine tried to clap as well, but her hands suddenly felt very foreign and numb. Green began to creep around the edges of her vision, and she watched in stupid wonder as the conference room shrunk to a pinpoint and everything went black. By the time Germany had fully settled in his seat and Prussia was starting to rise, Ukraine had collapsed in an undignified heap next to Russia's chair.

For a moment, the nations could only stare at her limp form, unsure as to what had just happened. Then Russia's chair scraped loudly against the floor as he knelt next to his sister, and the sound was enough to bring the nations to their senses and send them into a frenzy. Several nations bumped into each other as they hurried around the long meeting table while others merely scooted their chairs in to let them pass, reluctant to intervene and get caught up in an international mess.

Russia kept repeating his sister's name as he gently shook her shoulder, while Belarus had resorted to slapping her none-too-gently on the cheek.

"_будилa, cecтpa_ (Wake up, sister)," he whispered urgently. No response.

"_Я буду ее будить_ (I'll wake her up)," Belarus announced, and upended a pitcher of cold water onto her sister's face. Ukraine bolted upright, coughing and gasping. Russia helped her lie back down and shot Belarus a disapproving look.

"You didn't have to do that."

Belarus was not to be deterred. "It woke her up, didn't it?" But although her glare was fierce as ever, Russia knew her well enough to see that she was shook up by her sister's impromptu nap.

Meanwhile, a reasonable crowd of nations had gathered around the Soviet siblings, but were pushed aside as China elbowed his way through, medical bag in tow.

"Out of my way, _aru_!" Once he reached Ukraine, who was slipping back into unconsciousness despite the cold water, he rummaged in his bag and waved a smelling salt under her nose. As Ukraine gagged and squirmed away from the offending odor, China pulled her eyelids back and checked her pupils professionally.

"女士 (Miss) Ukraine, can you hear me? Try to open your eyes, _aru_." China pressed two fingers to the pulse on her wrist as Ukraine struggled to comply, blinking against the fluorescent lights of the World Conference room. Russia held his large hand over her face so that it covered the light until her sight fully returned.

"Somebody open a window or something, she needs air," Belarus barked, but since international affairs were top secret, the World Conference room had no windows in an effort to keep matters private from prying eyes. Instead, Japan came forward and fanned her with his uchiwa fan.

"When did she eat last, _aru_?" China inquired, not happy with her slow pulse. Russia shrugged and looked to Belarus, but she did not know either. "Does she have her lunch bag with her? Check to see if there's anything we can give her."

France was the first to locate it under her chair, but when he opened it, there was nothing inside.

"She ate already, then?" China concluded. France sniffed it and shook his head.

"_Non_, this bag has never been used before."

China frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Why would she bring it in the first place, _aru_?"

But the answer, _So no one would know anything was wrong_, hung in the air between the nations. France set the lunch bag aside, feeling slightly ill.

"_Ve_, I know what will make her feel better!" Italy exclaimed, digging around in his own lunch bag. He held up an enormous saran-wrapped plate of spaghetti. "Pasta!"

Germany rolled up one of his World Conference papers and swatted Italy on the head with it.

"_Nein, dummkopf_! (No, idiot!)"

"Eh, _perché no_? (Why not?)" Italy whimpered, rubbing his head.

"That's way too much food. You'll make her sick."

"_Cosa_? (What?) That's impossible, pasta could never make anyone sick! Maybe she can take some home, _ve_? And eat it really slowly..."

While Italy and Germany were arguing, Romano reached into his pocket and slipped a tomato into Ukraine's lunch bag, making sure no one was watching.

"No solid food right now," China declared sternly, putting an end to Italy's argument. "Look at her! Who knows when was the last time she ate."

The nations took in her sorry state: pale face, dull hair, bony wrists, prominent clavicles, sharp cheekbones.

"Her entire body weight is in her bra," remarked Belarus, though not unkindly.

"I'll go make some tea, then," England announced, and ran off to the break room.

"Put a lot of sugar in it, _aru_!" China called after him.

By now, Ukraine had managed to keep her eyes open, and was looking blearily around her, shivering lightly.

"You shouldn't have dumped all that water on her, _да_ (yes)?" Russia admonished Belarus again. "Now she's cold."

Upon hearing this, Austria plucked a handkerchief from his breast pocket and carefully dried Ukraine's face with it. America, seizing this moment to display his heroism and refusing to be one-upped by Austria, took off his bomber jacket and draped it over her frail form.

England soon returned, cradling a cup of tea in his hands, and Russia helped his sister sit up so she could drink it. The British nation held the cup out to her, but her hands were shaking too much. She laughed lightly, embarrassed, and England flushed.

"Oh! Er...I suppose I should, erm, hold it for you..."

Ever the gentleman, England was flustered at the prospect of actually holding the cup to her lips, considering such an act to be too intimate. Belarus noticed his distress and took the cup from him, tilting her sister's chin up and holding it for her so she could drink. England smiled awkwardly. "Not too hot, I hope?"

Ukraine gifted him with a weak smile. "It's fine, thank you."

Russia was about to lower her back to the floor but noticed how wet it was from all the water Belarus had dumped on her earlier. He paused, uncertain.

Wordlessly, France took off his cloak and leaned over Ukraine. Much to the surprise of the other nations, however, he did not take advantage of the opportunity to grope her chest but instead folded his cloak into a makeshift pillow and placed it under her head, letting it soak up most of the spilled water.

A little more awake now, Ukraine turned to Germany, mumbling, "Oh no, I suck. Silly me...I've interrupted the meeting, haven't I?" to which Germany offered her a rare, comforting smile and replied, "_Nein_, Frau Ukraine, I was just about to call for a break anyways."

"_Was_? (What?)" said Prussia, apparently not privy to the subtle art of lying to make someone feel better. "But I was totally gonna go after you, Bruder-ouch!"

Germany elbowed him hard in the ribs. "_Halt's Maul_! (Shut up!)" he hissed, and Ukraine giggled faintly.

"Thank you, Mr. Germany, but I feel much better now. Please continue the meeting."

She grabbed the edge of her chair and struggled to lift herself onto it. Russia picked her up without a word and sat her gently on the chair. England bent down and retrieved her empty tea cup from the floor.

"We should probably get some more sugar into you," he said, to which China nodded his approval. He looked over at America's seat and noticed a McDonald's milkshake cup, still unfinished (there were three other cups identical to it in the trash can, all empty). "Hey America," he called, "why don't you give her some of your disgusting milkshake? There must be at least 3,000 calories in that bloody thing, and lord knows you don't need it..."

America scowled at him but slid the cup over to Ukraine. Her hands were still shaky, so Belarus held the straw to her lips. At first, she seemed a little better after ingesting such a high concentration of sugar, but then her face turned sickly pale and she gagged, frail body convulsing as she began to heave. The nations scrambled in every direction, searching desperately for a trash can. Prussia got to one first and held it under her chin just in time, his only remark being, "This is so unawesome."

England whirled on America, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"This is your fault, you twat!" he hollered.

"_My _fault?" America bit back incredulously.

"That's right! Your bloody drink was far too sweet! She probably has diabetes now on top of everything else!"

"You're the one who told me to give it to her in the first place!"

England held back his next retort, knowing this last accusation was true, and instead settled with huffing indignantly.

Much to his dismay, Prussia was forced to hold the trash can until it was certain that Ukraine had finished. Some of her hair fell into her eyes, and Prussia brushed it away...only to have it fall off in his hands. He blanched.

"Holy crap!" he shrieked. "Her hair just came off _in my hand_!"

Germany cuffed him in the back of the head. "_Halt die Schnauze_! (Shut up_!..._a much ruder version.) You're scaring her!"

"But West, her hair is falling out! That's totally unawesome!"

"I said _Schnauze, trottel_! (jerk!)"

He jerked away from Germany but then shrank back towards him when Belarus cast him a terrifying glare.

"She's starving, _мудак_! (asshole)" she snapped, rearranging Ukraine's headband and bobby pins so that her hair was out of her face.

"Oh," he said sheepishly. He turned to Ukraine. "_Entschuldigung_ (Sorry)."

Ukraine nodded but could not bring herself to look him in the eye. Normally, she lived by a Hakuna Matata motto, determined to stay positive despite the fact that her people were starving and her boss was a controlling prick and her beautiful land was slowly wasting away. But this was turning out to be a particularly trying day, and she found it difficult to recite Timon and Pumbaa's encouraging mantra. Her eyes began to sting with unshed tears. The other nations were not supposed to know how weak she had become. What must her powerful little brother and sister think of her now? Humiliated, Ukraine rested her elbows on the table and dropped her face into her hands.

"Ay, _cariño_ (sweetheart), don't look so sad!" Spain implored, suddenly appearing beside her. "I know a magical charm that will cheer you right up! _Fusosososo!_" At the magical incantation, the entire conference room turned an overly cheerful rainbow-sherbet color and erupted into brilliant sparkles. "_Fusosososo! _A magical charm!" he repeated happily. In the background, Romano slapped a hand over his forehead, mortified.

"You feel better now, _señorita, verdad_? (Right?)" Spain exclaimed confidently. Ukraine smiled through her tears at his over exuberance.

"_да_, thank you, Mr. Spain."

She began to shiver again, hair still wet from the water pitcher, and soon felt something soft and warm and smelling slightly of sunflower seeds wrap around her neck. She looked up and saw that Russia had tied his scarf around her, the same scarf she had given him all those years ago. Her throat tightened at the touching gesture.

"_бpaт_...(Brother)," she started, but Russia simply smiled and shushed her.

"Let us leave now, _да_? You should sleep."

"But the meeting isn't over yet-"

"Don't worry about that," England interrupted her, stepping into the conversation. "There are a few overnight rooms on the fourth floor. If you'll spare us a moment, we could accommodate one for you."

"Oh, thank you, but I couldn't-"

"We'll be waiting, _да_," Russia confirmed, putting an end to her feeble protests. England nodded and left with some other nations. China stayed behind, checking her over once more.

"I don't suppose you can remember when your last meal was, _aru_?"

Ukraine shook her head, embarrassed. She sensed rather than saw Russia and Belarus share a worried glance behind her.

"I didn't think so. Your pulse is still very low, and I'm sure your blood sugar is low, too. You're at a high risk for hypoglycemia, if you don't already have it. Don't get on any airplanes, it's dangerous for you to fly right now, _aru_."

She wanted to argue that she had to return to her country soon, but was starting to feel light-headed again and short of breath. China noticed immediately.

"Do you often have trouble breathing?" he asked, helping her sit up straighter.

"Sometimes," she mumbled, feeling very boneless and drugged. China took another smelling salt out of his bag and let the strong odor revive her again.

"Alright, I think you've had enough stress for one day, 女士 Ukraine," he decided, just as England returned to lead her to her room. "Go and sleep for as long as you need to. I will check on you tomorrow morning, _aru_."

As she fell into a kind of half-sleep, Russia gathered her up in his strong arms and followed England to the elevators, carrying her the entire way. Several nations wished her well as they passed, and she smiled tiredly at them, promising herself that she would thank every one of them personally once she regained her strength. They may all be separate countries, but today they had proven that they could act as one world, too.

Russia looked down at her as they reached the elevator.

"You are so light, _cecтpa_," he said softly. Ukraine turned her head towards his voice and gave him a bright, hopeful smile.

"I will not always be like this."

Russia blinked in surprise at her conviction but then returned her smile.

"_нет_ (no), you will not."

The next morning, Ukraine woke up to find a vase nearly overflowing with each of the countries' national flowers on her nightstand. And resting on the pillow next to her was a single sunflower.


End file.
